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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26202541">Seasons Change</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elizabeth/pseuds/Elizabeth'>Elizabeth</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Autumn, Banter, Canon Era, Court Sorcerer Merlin (Merlin), Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Established Relationship, Fluff, Gentle, M/M, New Relationship, Post-Magic Reveal, Schmoop, Short &amp; Sweet, references to court politics, soft, waking up together</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 07:34:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,632</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26202541</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elizabeth/pseuds/Elizabeth</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur and Merlin spend an autumn day cuddling, rambling through the forest, and being grotesquely in love.</p><p>This is a post-reveal one-shot of pure fluff, with court sorcerer Merlin and benevolent king Arthur. It is schmoop meant to cushion the changing of seasons and give us all a bit of softness before the long nights ahead.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>225</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Seasons Change</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For my anonymous Tumblr friend who requested lots of cuddles, grabby hands, wholesome, sleepy hugs, and other soft things. Thank you, and sorry this took so long to finish.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Autumn sunlight streamed through the open window into Arthur’s chambers. He watched infinitesimal dust motes dance in the golden rays, and then closed his eyes against the morning. It was almost too cool to keep the window open, but the night before had seen them too exhausted to bother with closing it before tumbling onto the feather mattress and pulling the bedding up tight.</p><p class="MsoNormal">It was warm enough, with Merlin pressed against his back. His breath tickled the hair at Arthur’s neck, too shallow for sleep. Neither was eager to rise, even with the day so bright outside. Arthur could smell wood fires from the town and, in the distance, the faintest tang of turning leaves. The forest was aflame with orange and red treetops, and the fallen leaves crunched with a satisfying crinkle underfoot. They’d been cooped up in the castle for days signing proclamations and treaties. Maybe today they could ride out among the colourful boughs and let out some of their unspent energy.</p><p class="MsoNormal">The past months had been long and wearisome. Change was always difficult, but this change—the legalisation of magic—had been met with virulent anger from some and unbridled celebration from others. Strong feelings on both sides had required challenging acts of diplomacy in addition to the basic necessities of rewriting laws and, essentially, reorganising society.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Merlin tucked himself tighter against Arthur, as if he knew the direction of his thoughts. Knowing Merlin, he probably did. He heard his breath change or felt him tense and guessed the cause. Arthur reminded himself it was past them, now. The ink was dry, and Camelot’s alliance with the Druids was firmly established.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Firmly established against his back, in fact, with a wiry arm around his waist. Arthur couldn’t help but smile. He opened his eyes again and shifted his body, stretching his muscles as much as he could without dislodging his still-sleepy friend.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><em>Not friend</em>, he corrected himself. <em>Companion.</em></p><p class="MsoNormal">Even that word seemed insubstantial. Soon, he hoped it would be husband, but all good things took time. This arrangement was still new for them, and had been unfortunately subordinated by the urgency of politics—but autumn meant winter was around the corner. <em>And Christmas would be perfect for a wedding</em>, he thought. Merlin pressed his face against the back of his neck and breathed him in.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Arthur couldn’t repress a soft chuckle. It came out low and throaty, and he rasped, “You’re brave. I haven’t had a bath in two days.”</p><p class="MsoNormal">“Mm. You shouldn’t have sacked your manservant.”</p><p class="MsoNormal">“Promoted. I promoted him.”</p><p class="MsoNormal">“And you’ve been too lazy to hire a new one.”</p><p class="MsoNormal">“I’m king. I’m too busy and important to be bothered with such trivial matters.”</p><p class="MsoNormal">“Like basic hygiene, yes, I noticed long ago.”</p><p class="MsoNormal">“Long ago?” Arthur turned his head to give him a sidelong look. “What? I’ve always been impeccably groomed.”</p><p class="MsoNormal">“You’ve always been taken care of, yes.”</p><p class="MsoNormal">Arthur felt the conversation getting away from him, so he decided to change tack. He rolled over, atop Merlin, and shifted his hips so that he pressed him into the bed. “Shouldn’t you be able to just summon a bath for us? You’re supposed to be an all-powerful sorcerer, I thought, <em>Mer</em>lin.” He pressed his own face against Merlin’s throat and drank in the scent of magic and skin. “Maybe I should find a new court sorcerer.”</p><p class="MsoNormal">“No one else could deal with the smell.” Merlin’s hands found their place on his back. <em>A perfect fit</em>.</p><p class="MsoNormal">“The first criterion for selection will be respect.”</p><p class="MsoNormal">“How boring.”</p><p class="MsoNormal">Arthur couldn’t help but press his lips against the curve of Merlin’s neck and taste the subtle salt of his skin. Merlin shivered, and Arthur smiled. “The second criterion shall be ability to summon bathwater.”</p><p class="MsoNormal">“From a spring high in the White Mountains…”</p><p class="MsoNormal">“From a <em>hot</em> spring.”</p><p class="MsoNormal">“Then you’ll smell like rotten eggs. This is why you’d best leave it up to those of us who know better.” Merlin raked his fingers through Arthur’s hair, and Arthur pulled back and looked at him. His eyes were still a bit shadowed from the stress of the past few weeks, but he was smiling and relaxed, and Arthur wanted to get lost in him.</p><p class="MsoNormal">“I was thinking…”</p><p class="MsoNormal">“Oh no.”</p><p class="MsoNormal">Arthur ignored him. “We should get out of town today. Take a ride, like the old days. Just the two of us.”</p><p class="MsoNormal">“It has been awhile since anyone has tried to stab me.”</p><p class="MsoNormal">Arthur nibbled along his collarbone and made a sound of agreement.</p><p class="MsoNormal">“And since I’ve had to lug your unconscious body any significant distance. <em>Ow!</em> Don’t bite me!”</p><p class="MsoNormal">“So impudent.”</p><p class="MsoNormal">“So violent.”</p><p class="MsoNormal">Arthur had recently learned the best strategy for silencing Merlin’s impertinence was to occupy his mouth with his own. He found himself happily victorious for the next quarter hour. Then he ordered a bath from a servant who may as well be his new manservant. It didn’t matter much to him who brought the water and food, so long as he still had Merlin at his side.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">The forest path was nearly covered in leaves, and the crunch was as satisfying as Arthur expected. Everything was amber, umber, and orange, and Merlin’s blue robes looked regal in the dappled sunlight. The air was cool beneath the canopy of ancient trees, and the tips of his ears and nose were rosy. Arthur couldn’t resist giving one a playful tug and commenting on it before pulling his hood up to keep him warm. It wouldn’t stand to let the first court sorcerer in a generation catch the grippe and end up bedridden for a fortnight.</p><p class="MsoNormal">If anything was going to keep Merlin in bed for that long, it would be Arthur.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Merlin rolled his eyes, and then pulled Arthur’s hood up over his ears as well.</p><p class="MsoNormal">They stopped by a stream where the trees thinned out. Arthur laid his cloak down and stretched out on his back. The clouds above them were thin little wisps of white in a stunning blue. Merlin curled up next to him like a sleepy kitten and stretched his back. He looked up, too, and then turned to Arthur. “The sky is the colour of your eyes.” Merlin’s voice was soft, and Arthur thought that for all the charms of his life, for all the privileges of wealth and title, nothing would ever match the gift of having this man beside him.</p><p class="MsoNormal">“I love you,” Arthur said. “You know that, right?”</p><p class="MsoNormal">Merlin’s smile was like the strike of flint on steel. Arthur’s belly warmed, and he wanted to memorize every curve and wrinkle of Merlin’s skin. He wanted to know it so well that even beyond the grave he’d be able to close his eyes and recall every bit of him. “I do,” Merlin said. He took Arthur’s hand and kissed each of his fingertips. “As I love you.” His lips curled into an impish grin. “For some reason. Sorcery, probably.”</p><p class="MsoNormal">Before Arthur could object, Merlin pressed his lips to Arthur’s palm, let his tongue flit against his life line, and then nipped at the heel. Arthur couldn’t hold back a tiny moan of pleasure, and Merlin hummed in agreement, kissing along his wrist. Arthur threaded his fingers into Merlin’s hair, pushing it back from his face. “Those lips of yours will drive me to madness.”</p><p class="MsoNormal">In response, Merlin unclasped Arthur’s belt. He reached up and untied the collar of his shirt, and raked up the bottom, exposing a strip of flesh. He ran his fingertips along the soft skin of Arthur’s stomach, and followed them with his cheek.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Arthur trembled beneath Merlin’s hands, but it wasn’t enough. He needed to see him, too. He wanted to see him come apart beside him. Arthur took his time unwrapping him like the gift he was. “So gorgeous,” he murmured. “Just look at you. Gods.”</p><p class="MsoNormal">“Arthur…” The timbre of Merlin’s voice shifted. It was husky and raw, and sent a shiver along Arthur’s skin.</p><p class="MsoNormal">The sun peeked out from behind the clouds, and Merlin glowed in the light. His sapphire eyes sparked with desire and promise, and Arthur licked along the ridges of his lithe chest. “So perfect. So incredible.”</p><p class="MsoNormal">Merlin tugged him up and divested them of all remaining clothes. They clung to each other. “I’m glad you can finally admit it,” Merlin whispered.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Arthur scoffed, ready to snipe back, but Merlin distracted him with a plundering kiss. It wasn’t fair combat, but Arthur decided in the back of his mind that he didn’t object to this kind of cheating.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Merlin’s hands were so nimble for someone who could barely walk upright some days, and Arthur’s blood flowed stronger as he considered they were always surest when engaged with him: dressing and undressing, mending and grooming. <em>Caring. Loving</em>. “Made for me,” Arthur whispered.</p><p class="MsoNormal">“For each other,” Merlin corrected. “Both.”</p><p class="MsoNormal">Arthur caressed and gripped. Merlin kissed and shook. They took and gave, and then gave more. Arthur couldn’t lose himself with Merlin because the deeper he went, the more he found himself instead.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Business waited at the castle. Work. Decisions. Always, there would be more to do. Decisions needed to be made; conversations needed to happen. Eventually, some villain would emerge from the woodwork. Regimes would change and new treaties would be drawn. Beasts and fair folk might roam the woods, needing to be tamed or kept away.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Merlin and Arthur rode back to Camelot, mounts crowded together on the worn, dirt path. Golden leaves drifted down around them. Arthur tweaked Merlin’s ear and drew up his hood. “You’ll catch your death,” he teased. He pulled up his own cloak, too, and tucked it around him. “We can’t have that.”</p><p class="MsoNormal">“No,” Merlin agreed, “we can’t. We’re just getting started.”</p><p class="MsoNormal">They shared a smile and rode on in the deepening twilight.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Please let me know if you liked it!</p><p>Thank you for reading!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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